After All This Time
by Nikki Flinn
Summary: Sequel to Time And Again. Ginny returns after a ten year absence. Why did she leave? Why is she back? Written a couple years back, so the style is slightly old for me.
1. Prologue

The scarlet haired woman put her wand back into her pocket and looked at the carnage. She sighed and ran a hand through the red hair. So much.

A fairy fluttered on to the scene, barely noticing the death. She dropped a letter into the woman's hand. The woman opened it and sighed.

"Guess I'm going home."

The fairy, sitting on her shoulder, looked at her. "Isn't that what you wanted? Wasn't there some guy you liked? What was his name?"

The woman sighed. "Not just some guy, Tink, Harry Potter." She sighed again. "Only saved my life about ten different times and killed Voldermort." But it wasn't Harry she was thinking of. She had gotten over him long ago. "Tink, why? Why is he bringing it to my home? Why there? Why me? And why does he want to kill Draco?" She asked, but in her heart she knew.

Tink shrugged. "Hell if I know. Why didn't that ever work with you and scarboy?"

"Cause I found Draco and he got with Mione."

"So why'd you leave Draco?"

She sheathed the amber hilted sword across her back and shoved away the memories. She reached out a hand and the Firebolt flew into it. It was an old make, but she still used it for traveling.

"Hey, G," the fairy said, trying to stall the flight she would have to take with her best friend. Tink liked flying, but with her friend it involved being in the pocket and she hated that. "What will your family and Harry do when you just show up out of nowhere, after ten years?"

(A/N: There's going to be a ridiculous amount of updates for this one today as well as a couple more tomorrow. This fic got taken down because one of the chapters was in script format. I've fixed that and am reposting this.


	2. One

Chapter One

Reunions

"Bloody Hell!" Ron yelled, still staring at the letter that had just come through owl post.

"Ronald!" His mother shrieked. Hermione and Harry, sitting together, looked nonplussed, having heard worse back in school. Fluer, Ron's fiance, got up and went to her man, comforting him. Fred and George grinned, sensing Ron would soon get in trouble. Draco just looked bored.

In the nearly eleven years since they graduated, Ron, Draco and Harry had managed to put aside thier differecnes and work together. Draco and Harry were Aurors, while Ron was The Minister of Magic, a job he took after he quit the Cannons. Hermione was the top most witch in the medical field and had even discovered a spell that could stop the Avada Kedavra curse, though only once. Fred and George were both still working on the Wheezes. Fred was married to Angelina from school, while Geroge's live-in girlfriend Assaila Demarco refused to let him pop the question in case he decided to switch with his brother and let Fred get married twice. Ron and Fluer were engaged, as previously mentioned. They had met again after Ron had joined the Cannons. After his third win, Fluer finally got up the nerve to ask him out and tell him how she had felt all the years. Hermione was still waiting patiently for Harry to realize she was old enough to get married.

Draco was not tied down. Ever since Ginny had left, he had been a part of the family. No one more than Molly wanted to see him happy. She was still angry with her daughter for leaving so suddenly and breaking Draco's heart.

Ron looked stunned at his girlfriend then back to the letter. He didn't say anything. Finally Draco asked, "Well Ron, don't keep us waiting. Some one else fall out of a tree?"

Though they had declared a truce of some kind, Draco still dug at Ron occasionally and Ron still responded with bad mouthing all except Ginny's disappearence. It hurt him almost as much as Draco when she left. All his life he'd had a reason to go on, someone to protect. Someone who turned to him when she was in trouble. And then she was gone.

As it always did, this elected a response, just what Draco had desired.

"No, git, it's from Ginny."

The room fell silent. Molly put a hand over her mouth. Draco lost what little color he had. Hermione and Harry looked shocked. Fred and George were alternating between delight, shock and disbelief. Even Fluer sensed what this meant, having heard about the infamous youngest Weasley, and looked startled and a touch curious.

Finally Hermoine took the letter from Ron and read it aloud. This is what it said.

_Dear Mum and Dad_

_I'm sure Harry and Hermione are there as well, so that makes this easier. Least ways I only have to write this once. I'm sorry I had to leave so suddenly. You must understand I had no intention. I have a decent job now, but my work requires I return home to England. I will drop by sometime tommorrow. I hope..._

_Out of time. _

_Love _

_Ginny_

There was silence.

Then Molly turned to Fluer and Hermione. "Girls, would you mind helping me prepared Ginny's room?"

As the others were put to work, Ron noticed Draco was missing. Slipping out, he found the blond sitting on the front porch.

He sat down. "Hey Malfoy, wanna talk?"

Draco opened his mouth and for a moment Ron thought he would just say shove it, then began to talk.


	3. Two

Chapter Two

Ten years ago.

There was a soft knock on his door and Draco turned to see Ginny enter. She was beautiful, as ever. Dressed in a red silk gown his mother had given her, her red hair tied back, she was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

He smiled and held out his arms. She fell into them and he kissed her head. She smelled like a slow burning fire; cedar, he decided.

"Draco," she pulled back to look at him. "I have to go."

"Well customarily I'd torture you with the sound of water falling, but since I love you..."

"No, Draco I have to leave."

He looked at her again and saw her eyes were red. She'd been crying. He frowned.

"I'm begining to get the felling this isn't a joke."

"Oh, Draco, how I wish it was. I have to leave."

He stepped away from her. "Why?"

She was crying now. She shook her head. "I can't explain. I just have to go."

"No you can stay. If I have to tie you to a chair. You will stay." He took a step toward her.

"I have to." She said again, holding up her hands. He felt the power rising from her. With a twinge of horror he realized she would use magic on him.

"Ginny, I love you. Love conquers all, remember?"

She shook her head violently. "Not this time." She sobbed. "I don't want to go."

"Then don't!" He cried desparately. "What ever it is I'll do it for you. I'll protect you. Just stay-"

"I CAN'T!" she screamed, still crying. A vase nearby broke. "Please understand.."

"I understand." He hissed. "Go then. Do what ever is so damn important. I never want to see you again."

"Draco please don't-"

"GO DAMMIT!" he shrieked, trying to stop the tears.

Ginny stood there looking at him for a moment more. Then she fled, crying.


	4. Three

Chapter Three

Revalations.

Ron was silent for a few moments. "So, that's why."

"Why what?" Draco asked, having completed the story.

"Why she never wrote. I often wondered."

Draco frowned. "Why would that stop her?"

Ron gave him a "You really are dense" look and was saved from answering by the arrival of his father.

Draco watched father and son talk animately about Ginny's return before storming off to find Hermione.

Hermione looked solemly at Draco after related the story, but it was Fluer who answered.

"It is obvious, I should zink."

"Ron said something along those lines. What do you mean?"

Fluer tossed her hair and gestured. "Vell you told 'er you ne'er want to talk to 'er again. An' you being ooh you 're-"

"What do you mean?" Draco interupted.

Fluer gave him a "'Re you serious?" look. "You an' 'Arry 're ze top Aurors in ze vorld. You must 'ave an idea 'ow many people wrote about you and 'Arry moving in 'ere after you finished school. Especially after all zat vent on vith you in school. First enemies zen friends. Zen you and Ginny's disappearence. Is it no wonder she knows you live 'ere? She ne'er wrote for fear of you."

Hermione gave Fluer a "Can I talk to Draco alone?" look. Fluer sighed and flounced out of the room.

"Draco, I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer honestly, alright?"

Draco nodded. He expected something like, _Do you love Ginny? _or W_ill you behave?_ but what she said was,

"Did you ever stop loving her?"

He looked at her surprised. Hermione was very perceptive. "No." He said looking away. He heard her get up and when she was at the door he asked, "Do you think she still loves me?"

He could have accpeted _No_ or _I don't think she ever did. _Those he could have taken in stride. But what she said nearly tore him apart.

"I don't think she ever stopped." Hermione said, and walked out, leaving Draco to cry in quiet.


	5. Four

Chapter Four

Ginny

Ginny landed her broom late the next night. The entire family (honary members included) had spent the day taking turns to look out for her. Charlie, dropping in to see his only real sister (he had a sister-in-law, Angelina and three more soon, Hermione included) return, was watching for her when he heard the noise on the roof. The Burrow had nearly doubled in size when Draco moved in and insisted Arthur let him add on as a sort of repentence for his dad making him lose his job. The additions had been put in some of the most random of places, including on top, very helter skelter. Mostly they'd just been added where needed.

So Charlie was sitting in the bedroom at the top of the house, the one deemed his. It was a lot more spaceous than his old one was. He stopped reading the book on Medicine that Hermione had left up there when he thought he heard a thump. He looked up at the celing.

A light slightly British and very familiar voice was coming from the rooftop. As Charlie climbed out of the window and made his way to the roof, the voice went off on a tangent.

"Fucking Hell. What is this? Some bloody conspiracy that's what. I mean honestly, I swear it grew or something. Can houses really grow?"

Charlie popped his haead over the rim. A tall woman with hair that gleamed red in the moonlight stood rubbing her knees. She wore a green velvet cape and the hilt of a sword portruded from it.

"Ginny?" he questioned.

The woman turned and her brown gold eyes met his. "Charlie!" She shrieked, delighted. Without further ado she proceded to tackle him. This resulted in them both tumbling back into Charlie's room.

For a moment they lay there, laughing. Then the door to the room burst open and the Weasley clan, Harry, Hermione, Draco, Fluer, Angelina, and Assaila entered.

They stood there momentarily before her parents grabbed her and began to pass her aound.

Molly began the circle. "Oh Ginny, we missed you so!"

"I'm so sorry, work demanded secrecy until we completed the last task," Ginny managed, hating the lie even as it sprung from her lips.

"We're so glad you're home, baby," Arthur said, taking her from her mother's grasp and into his own.

"So am I," She replied, meaning it. "I hope you're not too angry."

"How long will you be able to stay?" Arthur asked, brushing aside the issue of anger.

Ginny cringed inwardly. She didn't exactly want to lie but it was dangerous to tell them the truth. "Hopefully I'm back for good," she finally hedged.

Fred swept her from her parents and into his arms. "I hope so, shortie. We missed you."

Ginny pressed herself into her brother's chest, wanting to cry. "I'm so sorry I couldn't be at your wedding. I read that it was fabulous," she finally choked out, trying to keep herself cool.

"Well..." Angelina began. She sensed Ginny's mood and quickly changed her tone from reproval to joking. "All except when George decided to sing Memories, while drunk."

"I wasn't drunk!" George protested as Ginny chuckled weakly.

"Really?" Angelina asked, taking her turn hugging Ginny and discretely wiping the girls tears away. "You sing that badly sober? Glad I married the talented one."

Fred beamed and reclaimed his wife from his sister.

Ginny turned to George. "Well at least I'll be able to get to your wedding, George."

Assaila piped up, hugging Ginny quickly. She knew of Ginny through George and Fred and had been dying to meet the girl. "That may not be for a while."

"I keep trying to ask you but you keep changing the subject." George protested.

Assaila smiled prettily at him as he hugged his sister. "Ask me what, dear?"

"If you'll-"

"Oh no! I think dinner's burning!" Assaila chirped, flitting out of the room with a cat like smile. Ginny felt George had finally met his match.

Bill was the next to lay claim to Ginny. "Welcome home, Gin."

"I trust you learned a great deal," Percy chimed in from behind Bill. Ginny laughed and disengaged from Bill enough to hug Percy.

"Ignore him, Gin. He's just sour cause he hasn't gotten laid," Fred said.

"What was that?" Percy asked from around Ginny.

"What was what?" Fred replied as Angelina nudged him.

"Fred darling, you promised to be nice..." she reminded him.

"I am being nice!" Fred protested. "You should see me when I'm being evil. Or maybe you already have..." he added with a suggestive wiggle of the eyebrows.

"Ginny! You remember Fluer?" Ron asked, prying her from Percy as Fred and Angelina disappeared.

Ginny had noticed her family was disappearing at an alarming rate but didn't think much of it. Assaila had been followed shortly by George. Her parents had exchanged a meaningfull look and disappeared as well. Now the rest of the twins were gone and Bill and Percy both looked ready to vanish as well. Ginny had a pretty good idea why everyone was leaving but she refused to think of it just now.

"Oh Ron, this is fabulous!" Ginny gushed, hugging Fleur and congradulating her. She hadn't really seen much of Fleur back during her third year but she instantly liked her. "You two were meant to be! Fluer, I'm so glad you'll be my sister. I thought you were ever so nice during my third year."

"It is so obvious." Fleur chirped. "Ze charm and charisma. I waz trying to win you to my cause. I waz quite dermined to 'ave one of your brothers." She looked lovingly at Ron. "Lucky me, I got ze best of ze lot."

Ginny laughed. "Maybe best is stretching it but I'm so glad you two are happy." She kissed Fleur's cheek.

Harry stepped up, waiting patiently til Ginny acknowledged him. "Ginny, where were you? We thought you were gone for good," he protested, hugging her tight.

"Oh, here and there. I still have a thing or two to wrap up before I can tell you everything," she replied, still sticking to the generals of why she was home.

"Oh, Ginny!" Hermione protested, almost crying. Ginny felt a pang for Hermione. Hermione was good at a lot of things but losing people was not one of them. "I feel awful! Here we were having a fabulous time and everything and you were God knows where doing God knows what. Oh!"

"Oh 'Mione, don't cry!" Ginny grabbed her friend in a hug. Aside from Draco she felt the worst about leaving Hermione. "It wasn't your fault! It was...just something I had to do."

Slowly her friends and family trickled away, leaving her alone in her bedroom with Draco.

(A/N: This is the chapter that got this fic taken down. Luckily I keep a back up of all nonfinished fics on my computer at home. So I revamped this chapter. Next comes a NEW chapter.


	6. Five

Chapter Five

Confrontation

Ginny turned to see the one person who even in the darkest of moments had filled her heart with light and a will to live. _Oh Draco_ she thought _How can I tell you? How can I tell you? You, Draco, not my brothers, not Harry, you. You kept me alive. you were my light, my life. My love, my hope. You were the reason I am alive. The reason I kept going, when they tried and tried me. And now you are the reason I am back. I'm going to end this. And together we will make it. Together. _

She looked into his eyes and saw something there. _Hate. _She thought _Fine. Even if you don't still want me, I will fight for you. You will live, if I have to die to do it._

"Hello, Ginny."

That soft voice. The man she loved was speaking to her and she wanted to fall into his arms and let everything be as it was. Them, young, carefree and in love. But Ginny would never be that niave again. There were things out there that would use him to get at her. And that was why she was back. For ten years she'd been chasing the evil that ruled all. The evil that wanted her for it's own. And now it would try. It would try to use Draco to get her.

"Hello, Draco."

His eyes were filled with questions and pain. Pain she caused.

"Guess you decided leaving wasn't enough. Thought you'd reopen the wound and add a little salt to it."

They were alone now and Ginny felt the tears slide down her cheeks. She slapped Draco.

"You bastard." She whispered. "I loved you. I never wanted to leave. I _love_ you."

He looked at her. "Apparently not enough."

"Draco-"

"Ever heard the song 'I'll try'? It goes,

I'm too tired to listen

I'm too old to believe

all these precious stories

there no such thing as faith and trust

and pixie dust

And true love, Ginny. I learned that ten years ago."

Ginny looked in his eyes and saw hate. She turned from him but he grabbed her arm. She tore it away and ran blindly from the room and ran down the stairs. She tripped and tumbled to the second floor. Still sobbing, she tried to get up. A pair of hands grabbed her gently. She pulled from Draco but he held tighter than last time. The concern in his touch was too much for her. Ginny sobbed hard, and sent a spell at him. He stumbled back. He looked at her confused as she came close.

With out thinking, Ginny grabbed him and kissed him as she had when they first kissed.

For a moment Draco was surprised, then he started to put his arms around her, trap her in that kiss, when she pulled away. She stood, still crying and ran into her room.

Draco watched her go and his addled mind finally registured-

She still loves me.

(A/N: Ah, so long ago did I write this. I remember crying when I wrote it. I cried a lot when I was working on this fic...


	7. Six

Chapter six

A duty

Ginny was all smiles the next morning when she came down for breakfast and Draco felt his heart wrench. _She must hate me_ he thought. She met his eyes and the smile flickered ever so slightly.

He felt truly awful. He had thought he could take all this in stride. He thought he could remain detatched and separate himself from her fully but then she had to go and love him again. Ten years seemed to wash away, ten years of hardening his heart towards her. Ten years of secretly researching obituaries, just looking for a woman of her description, not knowing whether he wanted to find her there or not. Ten years of knowing that her death would free him. Ten years of half wanting that obituary just so he could have closure. Ten years of relief when the obits read blank for her.

As she talked with her family, being brought up to date on all the family events, he watched her. She was taller than he remembered, just slightly taller than he was himself. She had always been thin, but she seemed almost emanicated. Her body was well toned, despite it's lack of fat and her hair seemed more of a strawberry. She'd gotten some sun and had an abundance of freckles all over what was showing of her. Fluer was right, she had a way to charm every one in a sort of subconscious manner. When it came to getting the one she wanted, he had noticed that her skills had gotten better. He remembered her writing poems about Harry during her first year. Now she seemed to just aquire men the way one might aquire burrs while walking through a feild.

She had aquired him much the same way. They had been thrown into an alternate universe where Voldemort was in charge and they had been stuck together. He had gotten separated and been offered the chance to go home without her. He hadn't taken it. He never told Ginny about that but he suspected she knew. He had been hers then and he had the feeling if she so much as smiled at him he would be hers again and ten years would turn from days and hours waiting to hear if she was dead or alive to a mere stack of calenders in a closet.

Draco wanted her. Wanted her so bad it hurt. But how could he trust her?

********

Ginny saw Draco watching her and thought of her task as she and Hermione talked about medicine.

_Draco, I have a duty my love. I have one thing before you can be free. Before I can be free._

(A/N: Sorry it's so short! Hope you like it any way!


	8. Seven

Chapter seven

A little conversation

It was dark but there was still a light in the liabrary. Draco went quietly through the shelves of books. Somehow he wasn't surprised to find the owner to be Ginny.

He watched her. She was beautiful. Just as he was thinking of leaving she looked up and caught his gaze.

"Hey," she said softly.

He looked down at the tomes around her. She hastily hid the one she was reading by pulling another over its open pages.

"What are you looking for? Another way to hurt me?"

Ginny's face fell and for a moment he saw the pure pain. _Good, _he thought, though his heart screamed at him, _let her suffer. _Then she controlled herself and looked away.

"I didn't want to leave," she whispered, her voice choked with tears.

"_Then why did you?_" He yelled, leaning forward on the table. "Why did you leave me Ginny? You keep saying that you never wanted to and yet you left."

"_**Because he made me!**_" Ginny shrieked, jumping to her feet. She suddenly put both hands over her mouth as though she hadn't meant to say that.

"Who made you, Ginny? Who made you leave for ten years with out even a note?" Draco hissed dangerously.

But Ginny shook her head as the tears poured down, and ran from the room.

Draco heaved a sigh. He had come that close. That close to saving his beloved as she had done many a time. Even so, he had more than before. He had some kind of lead. And Ginny hadn't wanted to leave.

His heart strangely light at that thought, Draco looked down at the books and pulled the volume off the one laying open and turned it around to read. He frowned.

_What the hell was a Sidathor?_ he wondered.

(A/N: Sorry so short my friends. Almost finished with this one though.


	9. Eight

Chapter eight

More Revelations

Hermione looked up from the stove as Ginny entered the kitchen.

Ginny flopped down in a chair, brushing at her red eyes. "Hey Mione, got a cure for a broken heart?"

Hermione poured out two cups of tea, one for each of them and sat at the table.

Ginny set her head on the table and sighed. "I thought I could do this. I mean, I almost defeated Voldemort in the future."

Hermione smiled. "Voldemort and love are two very different things."

Ginny smiled. "I guess you're right. But I can't bear loosing him again."

"Ginny, why did you leave?"

Ginny sat up and ran a hand through her hair. "I had to."

"Ginny, don't give me that shit. You broke Draco's heart."

Ginny glared at Hermione. "You think I wanted to? I would give anything to have been able to stay. But the price it would have cost was not something I wanted to give."

Hermione stared at the younger girl. "What was the price?"

"His life. I couldn't bear it. I wouldn't be his destruction. So I left."

"But now you're back."

"Yes. And I'll do anything I have to, to end it now."

"Even sacrifice yourself?"

Ginny was saved an answer as Draco rushed past the room in a flurry. Ginny frowned. What had him so up in arms? She traced his path back to the library. On the table she saw one of the books she had been reading earlier. In red pen nine words were underlined.

Likes to return to the place of their birth.

In the margin was written three words in Draco's neat scrawl.

Chamber of Secrets.

(A/N: It's short. I know. You don't have to tell me. I'm trying but I've had these chapters done for quite a while now and it's hard to go through and revise them.


	10. Nine

Chapter Nine

Chamber of Secrets

Draco understood what had to be done. He understood every thing. Ginny had been forced to leave. Not her decision. The information made him light at heart. She had left to protect him. She couldn't tell him. Because she knew what his reaction would be.

Which was what it was.

A sidathor was the echo of a traumatic event. In Ginny's case, the ordeal in the Chamber. Few things could destroy a Sidathor completely. The Ultimate sacrifice was one. The death of the creator was another. Sidathors were random creatures. They would go years hunting completely irrelevantly before returning to destroy everything the creator held dear. They fed on emotional pain.

Ginny must have been a buffet. All those years with her guilt. He could still see the pain in her eyes every time he looked into them. And it hurt him more than she knew.

But it would all be over. He would kill it. Even if it cost him everything. He would free her.

As he flew he thought of when he came to love her. Twelve years ago they had been sent into the future. An altered future. The world was damaged and destoryed. Voldemort reigned supreme. He and Ginny had been trapped there for an entire day. They had been kidnapped, he twice and her once. He didn't do so great a job of saving her, but she rescued him both times.

He hadn't realized until then that he loved her.

He had admited to himself that he liked her. She had a naturally likable attitude and she was pretty. And he loved her. When she returned the feeling, he at first thought it was the potion Voldemort forced on her. When he found out the potion had worn off, he knew it was love.

For two blissful years they were together and in love. The war came and went, and their love was just as strong. Then things started happening. Things he couldn't explain. Accidents. He knew now. The Sidathor. Then she left.

She left to save him. She left because she loved him.

He entered the Chamber knowing what he was up against. The Sidathor stood in the corner by a large skeleton. He looked like young Riddle but his eyes were empty.

"Come to save her?"

"Shut up and fight."

"You can't you know."

"Why do villians see fit to talk about these things?" Draco growled.

"Because we can," the Sidathor said. "How would you like to die? I'll grant you and your love the same death."

Draco snarled and pulled out his wand.

The Sidathor aimed his wand lesisurly, chanting the Killing Curse.

Time seemed to slow as the green spell ran towards him....

... And Ginny leapt in the way.

(A/N: Something tells me I should find some little spot and hide. For a long, long time. Any way, I totally meant to have this for you like a month ago but even though I said it wouldn't Nanowrimo got in my way again. The good news is less than 5k words and two days to get them in. That's only ten pages! The other good news is that my Nano project is two fold, a story I'm writing and a new fan fic which I will start updating once Nano is over. I love it dearly and I hope you guys like the story too.


	11. Ten

Chapter Ten

Time after Time

Draco fell with Ginny, catching her body as she stumbled, her life gone.

_The little red head sneered up at him, despite his greater hieght. It was hard not to feel intimidated with that burnt amber gaze boring into him. _

_"Leave him alone."_

_He looked at Potter with a sneer. "Got a girlfriend have we?"_

He screamed in pain and anguish as her eyes glazed over.

_"Sticks and stones Malfoy." She laughed at him. _

_"Do they hurt, Little bit?" he sneered. _

_She smiled prettily at him. "Only so much as I let them," she replied, thumbing her nose at him in a most unladylike manner. _

_He scowled. "Still mooning over Potter?" _

_She grinned. "Why? Wanna share the torch?"_

_It took him a minute to get exactly what she was saying then he growled and tuned away, her delightful laugh ringing in his ears. _

He pulled her to his chest as the Sidathor exploded.

_"Feisty one there. Might have had a go at her myself, but I don't deal with blood traitors."_

_"So, on a scale of one to ten, how offended would you be if I showed you how much I love my spitfire?" Draco drawled. Ginny glanced back and saw he was smiling. She felt a grin tug at her own face and swiveled so she could wrap her arms languidly around his neck. She cast a glance at Lucius who was looking properly apopoleptic. _

_"You wouldn't!"_

_"Just taking a page from your book dad. There's nothing a Malfoy wouldn't dare."_

_And with that, he swung Ginny into a spectacular dip, bringing his lips to meet hers. _

Tears streamed un checked down his cheeks.

"No... no... no..." He whispered into her hair.

Hermione and Harry burst into the room, full of chargin. Hermione rushed to Draco and touched Ginny. "Draco, I need to have her."

He snarled silently at her. Harry came up behind him and put him in a headlock. Draco screamed obscenities and wept bitter tears as Hermione magicked Ginny's corpse away.

(A/N: Did you cry? I cried while writing this. I need to stop it with these sad chapters. Anyway, last chapter is coming up soon!

To ginners: Sorry for the disappearing act. Glad you like the chapter and sorry again for the awful cliffie. I just seem to be adicted to them.


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

Draco sat in the library, listlessly staring at the open volumes. It had been a full day since that bastard took Ginny from him. Two days since she returned to his life. The others had come in periodically, all but Hermione. All trying to cheer him up.

It wasn't going to work. He wanted Ginny back.

"Hey there, Mister Grumpy Gills."

Draco dropped the glass figurine he had been randomly toying with. He barely registered the crash as he turned slowly. The light caught her beautiful crimson hair, creating an etheral halo. He rose haltingly as she walked forward towards him, a wonderful smile on her lips.

He reached a shaking hand towards her. She took it and kissed his palm as she had done so many times.

"Hello, love."

The words broke the spell and suddenly he had her in his arms, kissing her fiercely. She was kissing him back and they stayed that way for a few minutes.

"But... but how?"

She smiled. "Hermione. That's why she needed me." She took off her shirt, revealing a camisole. She turned around. On her back were two tattoos, both of a Pheonix wing.

"I'll never be able to turn again. Hermione had to suspend me halfway between both forms to get me back."

"Small price to pay," He whispered, leaning in again.

She stopped him, "I have to know. Do you love me?"

"Yes. Oh God yes? How could you ever doubt it?"

888

Hermione drew Harry's gaze from the couple with her finger. "Leave them be, pet."

"If you insist," He replied, slipping a ring into her hand.

THE END


End file.
